Heat, Pacers lighten up in advance of showdown

April 9, 2014|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

MEMPHIS — There is no pretense, at least from the Indiana Pacers' perspective: Friday night's game against the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena is the most important game remaining on the Eastern Conference regular-season schedule.

In advance of that game that will go a long way toward deciding the conference No. 1 seed, Pacers coach Frank Vogel opted to hold out his entire starting lineup from Wednesday night's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

No Roy Hibbert, no David West, no Paul George, no Lance Stephenson, no George Hill. Instead, Vogel announced at the morning shootaround that he would field a starting lineup of Ian Mahinmi, Luis Scola, Evan Turner, Donald Sloan and former Heat forward Rasual Butler.

The Heat also went with a limited roster in Wednesday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, but mostly out of necessity.

Dwyane Wade missed his eighth consecutive game due to a strained left hamstring, while center Greg Oden missed his eighth consecutive game due to a back issue. In addition, backup center Chris Andersen was out for the second time in three games due to back and knee ailments, while forward Udonis Haslem missed a second consecutive game due to a stomach virus.

Spoelstra said his lineup card had nothing to do with Vogel's Wednesday approach.

"It doesn't affect us," he said.

Vogel said his starters would practice Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena, in advance of their return for Friday's game there against the Heat.

The Pacers lead the four-game season series against the Heat 2-1, and have already clinched the playoff-seeding tiebreaker by virtue of their superior conference record.

Vogel said the Heat's 88-87 Tuesday loss to the visiting Brooklyn Nets did not factor into his decision.

"It's well-documented that we're still interested competing for the one-seed," Vogel said, "but how you play and how you prepare for the playoffs is the most important thing right now.

"I think getting them some rest will make them fresher going into the playoffs. It's not the answer, but I think it's part of it."

Spoelstra already had Wade and Oden on season-long knee-maintenance programs, having utilized 20 lineups this season.

Vogel, however, opted against a piecemeal approach to rest over this final week of the regular season, with the NBA playoffs opening a week from Saturday.

"We may rest some bench guys against Miami," Vogel told reporters in Milwaukee. "The thought process behind all five guys is: If you sit one or two guys per game then nobody ever finds a rhythm. Finding a rhythm is just as important as getting our guys rest.

"We still have our sights on the No. 1 seed. But the most important thing for our team is fixing our team."

Like his coach, Heat forward LeBron James said he had greater concerns than Vogel's machinations.

"I don't think nothing of it," he said an hour before facing the Grizzlies.

Lesson learned

While James and Spoelstra said the Heat moved on from Tuesday's one-point loss to the Nets, Spoelstra acknowledged that even after Nets center Mason Plumlee blocked James' dunk attempt there still was time for the Heat to foul before time expired.

"Those were the emotions of the game," Spoelstra said of the final seconds expiring as James argued for a foul call.

He related what could have been to the Heat's Game 6 rally against the San Antonio Spurs in last season's NBA Finals.

"Tenths of a second matter in this league," Spoelstra said.

As for Plumlee's block on James and an earlier block by Plumlee that appeared to have been a goal-tend on a Chris Bosh shot, Spoelstra said clarification has been sought from the league. But he added, "We're not blaming the loss on that."

Of the Plumlee-James play, Spoelstra reiterated, "It was a foul, in our opinion," tempering his comment by adding, "You don't want to leave it in the hands of somebody else to decide your fate."

James' reality

With MVP ballots now in the hands of the media, James said he appreciates the groundswell for Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant.

"I would have to say he's the most consistent player as far as MVP this year," James said. "He has put up some great numbers.

"I think K.D. has had one heck of a season, and if he was rewarded with the MVP, it would be great."